Gone with the Wind is a novel written by Margaret Mitchell, first published in 1936. It is often placed in the literary sub-genre of the historical romance novel. However, it has been argued the novel is a 'near miss' and does not contain all of the elements of the romance genre, making it simply a historical novel. The story is set in Clayton County, Georgia, and Atlanta during the American Civil War and Reconstruction. It depicts the experiences ofScarlett O'Hara, the spoiled daughter of a wel